Old School Methods vs New Age Education Technologies
The measure of efficiency in teaching besides the material presented, narrows down to the process used in the teaching system. If we consider the available methods for teaching today, the debate will definitely occur between the old schooling systems versus the new schooling system.
Being told what to do to get an A isn’t just an experience that my friends and I have had in our years in elementary school but it’s also the main characteristic of the so-called old schooling system. This teaching method emphasizes the theoretical part of learning and it is mostly considered as ‘copy-paste’ learning. This terminology means that the material explained in class is the teacher’s notes or a book, from the students it is expected to know that information word by word if they want to have a good grade.
Since the lessons are teacher oriented mostly, the students are the passive party in the classroom and that leads to less interaction between students in class and no critical thinking for issues being presented. Consequently this lack of discussion in class has a negative effect only on the student because it reduces the chances for feedback or context clarification while lecturing. Last but not least, teaching theory without putting it on life situations may cause students to lose interest in their studies since the system considers him/her just as a number in the class and not a valuable person who can contribute with valuable ideas for the community.
Newer ways of imparting education through smart boards and projectors can only be helpful if the preaching system is done away with. A certain amount of practical knowledge is imperative. Learning through movement and the senses is becoming easier to do as bulky, stationary technology has become more mobile. Also, we are seeing the beginnings of a trend in which technology is becoming practically invisible and more integrated into our everyday environments. Digital technology such as tablets can help teachers and students rediscover traditional ways of learning by using touch, movement, sound, and visually.
3D printers serve as a revolutionizing tool to aid many areas of education and provide teachers with new ways of getting their message across. Young students get bored with lots of text, making information visible helps but printing it in 3 dimensions truly captures the student’s interest, By using a 3D printer, any class will instantly be transformed in an interactive learning experience. Print parts of a skeleton to use for a biology class or use it for prototyping in technique classes.
Difficult concepts will not only be visible but also tangible. Anything normally drawn out on the black board can now be explained through models that students can touch and investigate from any angle. Hands-on learning through 3D models, especially for art and technique classes, it is great to use the prototyping capabilities to make students’ creative ideas and designs come to live.
Preparing students for their future careers and teaching them valuable skills is an important aspect of implementing 3D printing in educational programs.
